1. Technical Field
Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a periodic signal generation circuit capable of generating a periodic signal that may be periodically toggled and a semiconductor system including the same.
2. Related Art
In order to control an internal operation, of a semiconductor device, the semiconductor device requires a periodic signal. Accordingly, the semiconductor device internally generates the periodic signal or receives the periodic signal from the outside and uses the periodic signal to perform the internal operation. The periodic signal may be used by the semiconductor device to perform a repetitive internal operation because is the periodic signal may be toggled in a constant cycle.
A periodic signal generation circuit for generating such a periodic signal may be implemented using a known ring oscillator.
The known ring oscillator includes odd-numbered inverters, to receive a periodic signal that is fed back, and to generate a periodic signal that is periodically toggled.
Furthermore, a semiconductor device checks whether a failure has occurred by detecting the period of a periodic signal in order to check the failure occurring depending on a change of a process, voltage, and temperature during fabrication. Whether the toggling period of the periodic signal is within a set range is detected in order to determine whether a failure has occurred in the semiconductor device. If the toggling period of the periodic signal is out of the set range, then the semiconductor device is checked to determine whether or not a failure has occurred.
The periodic signal generation circuit for generating the periodic signal as described above may be included inside or outside the semiconductor device.